The Midnight Queen - Page 29/177

"So I judged," said Sir Norman, rather bitterly, "or she would not have

been left to die alone of the plague. She was brought to my house, sir,

and I am the friend who would have stood by her to the last!"

Sir Norman sat up very straight and haughty on his horse; and had it

been daylight, he would have seen a slight derisive smile pass over the

lips of his companion.

"I have always heard that Sir Norman Kingsley was a chivalrous knight,"

he said; "but I scarcely dreamed his gallantry would have carried him

go far as to brave death by the pestilence for the sake of an unknown

lady--however beautiful. I wonder you, did not carry her to the

pest-house."

"No doubt! Those who could desert her at such a time would probably be

capable of that or any other baseness!"

"My good friend," said the stranger, calmly, "your insinuation is not

over-courteous, but I can forgive it, more for the sake of what you've

done for her to-night than for myself."

Sir Norman's lip curled.

"I'm obliged to you! And now, sir, as you have seen fit to question me

in this free and easy manner, will you pardon me if I take the liberty

of returning the compliment, and ask you a few in return?"

"Certainly; pray proceed, Sir Norman," said the stranger, blandly; "you

are at liberty to ask as many questions as you please--so am I to answer

them."

"I answered all yours unhesitatingly, and you owe it to me to do the

same," said Sir Norman, somewhat haughtily. "In the first place, you

have an advantage of me which I neither understand, nor relish; so,

to place us on equal terms, will you have the goodness to tell me your

name?"

"Most assuredly! My name," said the stranger, with glib airiness, "is

Count L'Estrange."

"A name unknown to me," said Sir Norman, with a piercing look, "and

equally unknown, I believe, at Whitehall. There is a Lord L'Estrange in

London; or you and he are certainly not one and the same."

"My friend does not believe me," said the count, almost gayly--"a

circumstance I regret, but cannot help. Is there anything else Sir

Norman wishes to know?"

"If you do not answer my questions truthfully, there to little use in

my asking them," said Sir Norman, bluntly. "Do you mean to say you are a

foreigner?"

"Sir Norman Kingsley is at perfect liberty to answer that question as he

pleases," replied the stranger, with most provoking indifference.

Sir Norman's eye flashed, and his hand fell on his sword; but,

reflecting that the count might find it inconvenient to answer any more

questions if he ran him through, he restrained himself and went on.

"Sir, you are impertinent, but that is of no consequence, just now. Who

was that lady--what was her name?"